•|• Avatar •||• Hashibira Inosuke x Reader •|•

Chapter 20

"Are you sure? Thanks a lot!"

I nod silently, and the three of us all keep walking together.
"Hey, Y/N, right?"

I nod, looking at him as he apologized.
"I'm sorry for clinging to you earlier and asking you to marry me... And for calling you a guy."

I chuckle.
"It's fine, don't mind it. I've accepted your apology."

The three of us walk in silence, just looking up at the road ahead of us, and I was spacing out a little. There is so much to think about...
And yet nothing comes to mind, not even now.

"I know what you mean when you say you're terrified of demons."
Tanjiro's voice broke the silence, and my eyes turn to him while I walked.
"But you should try not to worry your sparrow."

"Huh? You're saying it was... distressed? How could you tell?"

Ah, that's right. Zenitsu really did stress his poor little bird.

"Let's see... He says you're always whining about not wanting to go to work, and you're always hitting on girls, and you're snoring really loudly. I'd say that covers it."

Tanjiro raised his hand, and in the middle of his palm sat the little sparrow. It flew over to me for a moment before settling on Zenitsu's hair.

"Wait, he said all that?! You can understand birds?!"
Zenitsu seemed surprised.

"Yeah, we can. You can't understand yours?"
I question.

"No way! You've gotta be lying to me!"

I feel something grab my arm, turning my head to see my owl, soon followed by the caws of Tanjiro's crow.

"Start running! Start running! Caw caw!"

"Run, Y/N, run Tanjiro, run Zenitsu. Run! Hoo!"

"Run? What from? It's mid-day no demons can be nearby."

"You must head to your next destination!"
The crow above us called out, and Zenitsu clung to me, his face full of fear.

"Run, Y/N! Run, Tanjiro! Run, Zenitsu! Caw!"

"AAAAA! THOSE BIRDS ARE TALKING TO US?!!"
I sigh and just ignore his antics as he screams as loud as before. I'm lucky to have had a baby brother or else I doubt I could bear this.

"Yes, Zenitsu, they can talk. They're kind of supposed to."
I just pat his back as my owl lifts off to circle with the crow above us.

They soon left and informed us of our mission, and now we were on the way. I'd calmed Zenitsu again, which surprisingly wasn't difficult once you got his attention.
A hug usually kept him calm enough, though he cried in the most... pathetic? Pathetic. In the most pathetic way I've ever seen.

We walked through the trees, Zenitsu already tired as he lagged behind us.
"Hey, you guys... Maybe I should just hang back for now. If I tag along I won't be able to do anything..."

I grab his hand to move him forward.
"You've made it past Final Selection, so you definitely have what it takes. If anything, I'll keep you safe, alright, Zenitsu?"
My smile seemed to ease his nerves, and he nodded as we went along.